Cousins was not exaggerating. Between players like Cousins, whose franchise tag contract is in essence a one-year contract, and players who are on multi-year deals that expire after this season, there are 21 players who are not under contract in 2018 and eligible to become unrestricted free agents.

Not all these players are vital to the success of the Redskins. Some of them will not even make the team this year. But the Redskins would like to bring back some of them. Let’s look at the list of UFAs and break them down by how important it will be to re-sign them.

The importance of retaining Cousins is obvious. Thompson is valuable as the third-down back. If Long makes progress in his fourth NFL season he could be the best young center the team has had in years. If Pryor and Brown perform like they did with other teams last year they will be key members of the offense and defense, respectively.

The Redskins have prepared for Breeland’s possible departure by drafting third-round cornerbacks in each of the past two seasons. Galette and Murphy could be an either/or situation with the team making an effort to sign one or the other. Same with Compton and Foster, assuming that Brown is back. Hopkins should be back but only at the right price.

There are a couple of categories here. There are some older players and the Redskins likely will want to go younger and cheaper—Hall, Blackmon, and Lauvao. Then there are players who are on the bubble for making this year’s team in Grant, Evans, Carrier, Paul, Quick, Carrier, and Taylor.

Don't look in this space for an argument that the Redskins - who are reportedly signing Mark Sanchez as Colt McCoy's backup - should, or should not, sign Colin Kaepernick.

This space will lay out reasons why the Redskins should, and should not, consider signing Colin Kaepernick.

It's not a binary decision. In fact, it's just about the opposite.

Any debate about Kaepernick often gets bogged down in differing political view points. This is not the place for that. Rather, here is an attempt to make the case for or against Kaepernick from a football perspective.

The case to sign Colin Kaepernick

The Redskins need a quarterback. Alex Smith broke his leg and Colt McCoy needs a backup. Of the available free agents out there, Kaepernick has by far the best stats and resume. As Chris Thompson explained of Kaepernick, "He made it to a Super Bowl." When he last played in 2016, Kaepernick had 16 TDs against just four INTs in 12 starts.

Kaepernick has familiarity in the West Coast offense, and once backed up Alex Smith and played with Vernon Davis.

Redskins QB coach and passing game coordinator Kevin O'Connell worked on the 49ers staff with Kaepernick.

Kaepernick hasn't played in the NFL for nearly two full seasons. He hasn't practiced in a professional setting for more than a year. The Redskins are competing for the NFC East title. If they have to go to a backup QB, they want somebody that is game ready. It's hard to think Kaepernick fits that bill today.

Earlier this season, Redskins CB Josh Norman had some choice words for Kaepernick after Panthers safety Eric Reid spoke out against the NFL Player's Coalition. Norman is an active particpant and leader on the Player's Coalition, a social rights group that Kaepernick distanced himself from. Putting Norman and Kaepernick in the same locker room might create some friction for a first-place team.

At 6-4, the Redskins are in first place in the NFC East and should still be able to win games with McCoy at quarterback. Regardless how one feels about Kaepernick's activism, it will create a side show for any organization that brings him in. Cable news outlets like CNN, Fox News and MSNBC will descend on the Washington locker room should Kaepernick get signed.

Sanchez, who last played for the Bears during the 2017 season, spent four seasons with the Jets after the team selected him out of Southern Cal with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Sanchez led the Jets to two AFC Championship games, but will ultimately be remembered for the "butt fumble" in a 2012 Thanksgiving day blowout loss to the New England Patriots. Sanchez's first game with the Redskins will take place exactly six years after the infamous moment.

Sanchez has appeared in 77 games in seven seasons, starting 72. He's thrown for over 15,000 yards and has tossed 86 touchdown passes, while also throwing 86 interceptions.

McCoy will start for the Redskins on Thursday in Dallas and is expected to be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season, with Sanchez serving as his backup and safety net.